GMB: Tell us more about the trajectory and experience of Bet Entertainment Technologies, the company that developed Vivagol. In what market are you present?
Samantha Asensi: Bet Entertainment Technologies was founded in 2015 in Malta, a country that is a benchmark in gaming and betting jurisdictions. However, the company's roots are Portuguese. Its founders have extensive experience in the media and the sports industry.
Then, when the market was regulated in 2016, BET saw the opportunity there to apply for a license to work on betting, through the bet.pt brand. It was the second online betting operator to have the privilege of having a license in Portugal, and we started working with a lean team of only 8 people. Today the company has offices in Malta and Lisbon employing more than 60 people of diverse origins that allows us to address the markets of Latin America and Africa.
Has the decision to enter Brazil been directly related to the regulation of sports betting in the country at the end of last year?
We already knew that, sooner or later, Brazil would have its regulations, but this was a natural decision even before we knew about the recent changes in sports laws. We started working with VivaGol more than a year ago.
What is the release date of VivaGol in Brazil?
We are working hard on the final preparations and we expect VivaGol to be on the air by the end of April. We are very excited and optimistic, because this will be a brand 100% Brazilian! No one spoke directly with the Brazilians like we are going to do.
Do you plan to come to Brazil and open own office or will the site be operated from the headquarters abroad?
At the moment the VivaGol team is mainly in Malta, and is composed of very talented and qualified Brazilian professionals who are working with great affection in this project. However, once the market is fully regularized and if allowed, we can think of the option of opening an office in this beautiful country that is Brazil.
The Brazilian market has a great growth potential in the sector, but how is the Brazilian bettor seen?
There is not much official data on the Brazilian market from this point of view, but, as far as we know, Brazilian players are looking for something new, more modern and dynamic, created solely and exclusively for this audience, not just a translated site from English to Portuguese. That is not interesting at all. That's why we made it a point to hire Brazilian natives for this project, from IT to design, content production, marketing and customer service. In this way, we create a website and a brand that goes directly to the target of this market. Therefore, we are confident that the market will respond positively to our efforts.
To which audience will VivaGol target its gaming offer in Brazil?
A young, dynamic and vibrant audience. Whoever goes to VivaGol will feel like they are in a friendly and fun environment, while accompanying their favorite sports and teams. We want everyone at VivaGol to feel at home, having fun with friends, in a relaxed way. It's a very Brazilian thing, you know? And as the younger crowd is very fast, we have to follow that same line. In addition to fun, VivaGol will have news all the time.
VivaGol arrives offering betting services, but also tutorials and facilities as access to other information of the sports market. Is bringing these other services a concern to mature the Brazilian market?
We have two main reasons for this. The first is linked to the maturity of the market, but the other is actually the player. When we say that we are focused on the player, it is because we want to bring the best for him. Everything we are doing has the customer as the main catapult of decisions.
Different betting sites have started with strong marketing actions such as sponsorship of football clubs. Is VivaGol's idea of using a similar strategy?
We at VivaGol are evaluating various options without excluding anything in particular, but we are trying to use a different approach from the others. As I said earlier, we want young audiences to come to us, that's what we're different about and that's what we want to show. This type of player is always connected, and it is through this way that we will dialogue. However, we can use other marketing strategies to strengthen and recognize the brand.
How do you see the near future of the Brazilian market?
Of course, there are still several open questions about this, but the future of the Brazilian market to be very fruitful and promising from now on will be a matter of doing everything with great passion and determination to address the current status of everything, working for an industry transparent and healthy.
For the company, what is the next important step in regulating the activity in the country?Regulation is, of course, the biggest challenge we face, as the market needs a solid regulation to protect consumers and allow fair and honest competition while creating sustainability conditions for the market to function in a legal and attractive way. For this reason, we find it very important to decide which verticals will be regulated. For example, regulating sports betting alone would be a big mistake as the black market would continue to operate and grow.
Once everything has been regulated, from current issues to payment options, everything will be resolved and improved. Even the affiliation market will grow stronger and generate jobs.
What is the expected growth of the company with the entry into Brazil?
Well, we do not need to say that we have high expectations for Brazil. We are feeling ready and compatible for the market. We expect to double our current size in a period of 18 months from the start date. You wanna bet we’ll achieve it?
Source: Exclusive GMB
